Renegade
by Blaire Nightshade
Summary: Raised as an agent of the Dark Side and a personal assassin to the Emperor, Mara Jade is used to carrying out any order or hit without question. However, after a mission to Jedha, Mara learns truths about herself that have long since been forgotten, and she finds herself questioning the very foundation of her beliefs...and fighting an inevitable pull to the Light Side of the Force.
1. Prologue

**Just a small plot bunny that popped into my head after seeing Rogue One. Absolutely stunning film. The ending was so bittersweet, but it was totally fitting. Wish I got a RebelCaptain kiss...but that hug pretty much said it all. :(**

 **Anyways, I've been trying to think up a way to bring Mara Jade into 'Canon'. (I'm sure most of you know who Mara Jade is, but if not in short she's Luke Skywalkers future wife). And this story just kind of took root and is starting to grow. So eventual Luke/Mara...but it's a ways off before they even meet.**

 **Prologue is pretty short, but just kind of sets the scene and tone of the fic...more notes at end.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Lyra stood on the balcony, looking out at the never ending city of Coruscant. Her hands instinctively wrapped around her belly._

 _She had put Jyn to bed an hour ago, and she had a few moments to herself before Galen was due home._

 _How was she going to tell him?_

 _Lyra had been raised with a strong belief cemented in the Force. The Force was strong in her family. Lyra's father was born Force-Sensitive. Had even trained as a padawan, here on Coruscant. However, he forsook the Jedi ways in favor of the woman he had grown to love. Lyra did not inherit the same potent force-abilities as her father, but she did have an affinity for it._

 _It was how she was able to tell that the child growing in her stomach was strong with the Force._

 _She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to curse the fates for subjecting her unborn child into this cruel world. Into a world where the Jedi were hunted like animals. Where the Empire preyed on the weak. A world where her child could potentially be a pawn of evil._

 _She could not imagine which was worse, her child being slaughtered for the power they possessed…or them being ripped from her arms and being molded into a weapon of evil._

 _One of the emperor's inquisitors._

 _Lyra jumped at the sound of their apartment's door hissing open. Turning on her heel, she greeted Galen…attempting to hide her fears behind a mask of warmth and happiness._

 _Galen was no fool, he saw straight through it. "What's wrong Lyra?"_

 _Lyra's face immediately fell, she could not hide this from him. Not now, not ever. "Galen I'm pregnant."_

 _The smallest of smiles skirted across her husband's face, but immediately fell when he noticed his wife did not share the same enthusiasm as him._

" _And?" He pressed her to continue, lightly gripping her arms so she would look him in the eye._

 _Lyra bit her lip and took a deep breath, "And the force is strong with them."_

 _A look of fear she recognized all too well swept across his face. The same face she had been wearing all afternoon, ever since she felt the connection. He was undoubtedly thinking along the same lines as she was._

 _Five years ago…it was considered a blessing to have a child be Force-Sensitive. Now it was nothing but a curse._

" _Then it is no longer safe here…" Galen said with resign in his voice._

 _Lyra wanted to laugh, "It's never been safe."_

 _Every day she feared for her daughter Jyn, the life she would no doubt suffer if the Empire turned on her husband. As they did when their pawns stopped producing results…stopped being useful._

 _Galen shook his head, "I will no longer be a puppet in their games...and I will not let them tear this family apart. We must go where they will never find us."_

oOoOoOo

Mara's eyes slowly opened as the dream faded out.

Dream?

Vision?

Nightmare?

She wasn't sure…and she didn't particularly want to dwell on the details. Whatever was happening needed to stop. This was not the first dream of the sort she had just encountered. She often dreamed of the man Galen and his wife Lyra. Part of her wanted to delve into their history. Who were they? Were they even real? Why was the force calling to her in this way?

Any thoughts were quickly pushed from her mind. She had a job to do, and she would not be swayed or distracted from it.

The Empire did not have time for such distractions.

Rising from her small cot, she stripped out of her sleeping garments and proceeded to enter her bathroom and step under the hot spray from the shower head.

By the time her body had acclimated to the blazing heat of the water, she was finished washing. She turned the knobs, turning off the comfort of the water. She stepped out of her shower and grabbed for the gray terry cloth hanging on the wall to her left.

She patted herself dry, and wound her flaming red hair into a military style bun, her fringe framing her face ever so slightly.

She checked the clock by her bed…she had 15 minutes before she was due in hangar 7. She was supposed to meet her partner for their next assignment.

She quickly slipped into her black and grey uniform, the sigil of the Empire stitched onto both arms. She slipped into her black combat boots, and buckled on her black utility belt.

And last but not least, she went for her lightsabers.

She grabbed the identical hilts and ignited them in her small room. The crimson blades hummed to life. The red energy eerily filling her dark room.

After a moment she hit the switch, and the blades retracted. She clipped the sabers on opposite ends of her belt and proceeded to leave her quarters.

And as she made her way to the hangar, she wiped all previous thoughts from her mind.

A tall man with buzzed black hair was waiting outside. He was in an identical uniform as her. The uniform of the Emperor's Hands. The most elite assassins in the Empire.

"You're late," The young man before her said, with the slightest amount of teasing in his voice. A sly smile crossed Mara's face as she shook her head at him in mock annoyance. In truth, he was the closest thing she had to a friend.

He had taken her under his wing when she graduated from the Inquisitorius program and was selected by Emperor Palpatine himself. All other Hands saw her as fresh meat and more importantly a threat. She was the youngest to ever be selected as Hand. All others were in their mid to late twenties. She was the tender age of 17. He was quick to come to her defense...although she had quickly proved to be a force to be reckoned with.

It took her awhile to warm up to him. In the Empire, it was survival of the fittest. You didn't climb up the latter by making friends…you did it by betraying them. And yet, she saw no malice in his heart…no ulterior motive. He was no different from her. An outsider. Someone who didn't belong.

They shared things with each other that no one else knew.

He knew her birth name was Mara Jade. Just as she knew his was Galen Marek. But to her he'd always be…

"Starkiller…" Mara greeted.

"Firebird," he shot back.

"You get our assignment?" She asked as she proceed to enter the hanger and walk over to their joint shuttle.

"Yup," Starkiller answered as he sat in the pilot seat of their custom stealth fighter and began to power on the shuttle. "Grand Admiral Thrawn is dispatching us to Jedha…said that there are some insurgents that need taken out."

* * *

 **For anyone whose not familiar with Star Wars Rebels...their are darkside agents of the Empire who kidnap force sensitive children and raise them in the Empire. That's essentially what happened with both Mara and Starkiller. They are brainwashed assassins who were raised in the dark side but have known nothing else. That's why they are so close...they feel a subconscious pull to the Light Side of the Force, and openly question whether or not they are on the right side of the war.**

 **Any questions...I'm always open.**

 **P.S. "I am one with the Force. And the Force is with me." ~RIP Carrie Fisher**


	2. New World Order

**Welcome back everybody! I am shocked by the positive response I had to the short little teaser chapter I posted last week. It brings a huge smile to my face. Please keep it up!**

 **Things are starting to get juicy for Mara Jade and Starkiller. You're gonna see them in all of their Darkside glory. It's gonna be quite the uphill battle before they redeem themselves.**

 **Also, I will be updating this story weekly, so expect a new chapter every Tuesday.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Renegade**

 **Chapter 1: New World Order**

Mara and Starkiller landed their starship in Empire controlled territory. And yet, it was easy to see that Saw Gerrera and his insurgents had been intent on not giving up Jedha without a fight.

Dozens of Stormtroopers were in the medical bay, dealing with injuries that ranged from splinters to amputations. She had to give Gerrera credit…he worked with a ruthlessness that she could respect and admire.

They continued throughout the barricade until they reached the captain's quarters. The 'Captain' in question was a bald fat man, and was no captain but a Sergeant. Sergeant Nik Wethers.

Wethers had been in control over the occupation of Jedha for the past four months…being promoted after his predecessor met his unfortunate end at the hand of Gerrera's rebels.

And in that timeframe, Empire casualty's spiked drastically. With each rebel victory, the Empire got sloppier. And Sgt. Wethers seemed content to just sit in his quarters all day drinking Mandalorian Ale while the Empire's resources drained.

"Sgt. Wethers…the Emperor has sent two inquisitors to help with our operations." The second in command Stormtrooper informed as he led them to Wethers.

Mara rolled her eyes, she and Starkiller weren't Inquisitors. Comparing a Hand to an Inquisitor was like comparing a tauntaun to a rancor…but she let it slide.

Wethers looked up from his post and did a double take as he took in his 'reinforcements'.

He actually laughed, "That's the best they can give me? We must really be scraping at the bottom of the barrel."

Mara heard explosions and gunfire in the background. "You were saying?"

"I'm sorry you came all this way…but you're help is not needed," Wethers said as he stood up and hiked up his pants, "Everything is under control."

"So you're as incompetent as you are stupid?" Mara asked as if she were reprimanding a child.

The man in question turned the color of Mara's flame red hair. She could actually see his pulse throbbing through his oversized head. "How dare you speak to me that way, Girl! I have been fighting battles since before you were born."

"You've been letting these rebels walk all over you for the past three months…" Mara informed him as she locked her hands behind her back and took in the state of his garrison, "The Emperor is most displeased. He has sent in me and my associate as a way to, shall we say…clean up your mess."

"You're expected back on Coruscant immediately…but don't worry, there's plenty of men needed to work on the sewer systems…so you'll be reassigned to the sanitation department, effective immediately."

Even though her back was to him, Mara heard Sgt. Wethers reach for his blaster…the telltale hum registering in her ears. She reacted in the blink of an eye…slicing her dominant lightsaber through the air.

Sgt. Wethers' blaster fell to the ground…with his arm still attached. He screamed in shock and pain as he fell to his knees, his remaining hand clutching at the cauterized stump her lightsaber had left behind.

"You stupid bitch!" Wethers spat as tears welled in his eyes.

Mara looked down at him unfazed, her lightsabers humming on either side of her. Then she rose her sabers in front of her, crossing the blades and lining them up with Wethers neck…he appeared to register what she was doing.

"No, no, no…I'm sorry…" He begged, "have mercy…"

Mara leaned in closely, so Wethers was the only one who would hear her, "Mercy is weakness...there is no room for weakness within the Empire. That is what the Emperor's Hands do…we find weaknesses…and we eradicate them."

With that Mara sliced her sabers through the air…Wether's head hitting the ground while his body remained upright. She heard gasping in the crowd…and she felt their fear. Fear would make this easier.

On a final note she kicked Wethers body so it was no longer crouched in front of her, but lying on the dirty ground. Mara turned to face the remaining Stormtroopers, "Anyone else have a problem…I suggest you speak it now."

Mara couldn't see their faces under their helmets…but she envisioned them all blanching and sweating. "Are any of you going to have a problem with a girl half your age running this operation?"

Half the men shook their heads rapidly, while the other half simply walked away as if hoping to avoid her fury.

Mara smirked before retracting her lightsabers and clipping them back onto her belt. "Good…because this is the New World Order. You can either die in his world," she said motioning to the decapitated body of the late Sgt. Wethers. "Or you can live in ours."

Starkiller simply crossed his arms as he stood right beside Mara.

"As long as you remember that…than we won't have a problem." Mara wrapped up her speech before letting Starkiller take command, divulging new strategies to counteract the rebels.

Turning to him she informed him that she was going to leave and do some undercover reconnaissance. "The rebels must have sympathy with the citizens of Jedha…they may lead us to Gerrera."

Starkiller nodded, silently telling her to be careful. Mara nodded back before she left the garrison.

oOoOoOo

She lied.

She wasn't leaving to do reconnaissance. She was leaving so she could get a hold of herself. Immediately after killing Wethers, she felt a stab of pain in her chest. As if she were regretting killing him?

Mara had changed out of her military suit and slipped into citizens cloths…so she was technically still undercover.

She limped along, taking deep ragged breaths until she found a deserted alley. She slipped through it, and walked until the voices of people on the street died down.

She fell back against the wall and slid down into a crouch. She took deep steady breaths and attempted to control herself.

What the hell was wrong with her? She had killed dozens of men before…both rebel and empire alike. She did it without hesitation or question. If the Emperor wanted someone dead…she would see it done. But Lately?

Lately she felt as if she were being torn in two. One part of her, relished in violence and killing and power…the side that the Empire nourished. And the other side…felt regret and mercy and humanity. This was the side that was brought out by the visions she had been having. Of that she had no doubt.

Memories of a past and completely unknown life were pulling at her. She had never once questioned her origins…but once she began having dreams and visions of Galen and Lyra Erso…she knew. Deep down she knew they were her parents, and that they loved her…and that she had been taken from them. She had been a child, ripped away from her family…and she was willingly serving the people that had ultimately kidnapped her?

And despite all this? She would not betray the Empire. Darth Sidious and Darth Vader had her loyalty. The Empire was her past, present, and future. For despite this unavoidable pull to the light…the dark side was a drug. It was something she craved…

"Do not attempt to mold yourself into something that you are not."

Mara's head snapped up as she heard an accented man address her. She looked around and saw the origin of the voice.

"Beg your pardon?" Mara asked the man who sat at the edge of the alley. He was dressed in spiritual robes and had a short staff resting across his knees.

The middle aged man smiled, "If the Will is bent too much…you will end up snapping it."

Mara rolled her eyes and stood back up, preparing to walk off, "Crazy locals…"

"Trust in the Force…for all is as the Force wills it."

She wanted to laugh, "What the hell do you know about the force."

She spoke it in a whisper, so she was surprised when he replied…

"A great many things; For I am one with the force…" The religious man prayed, "…and the Force is with me."

* * *

 **Chirrut's eyes see all...**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. If you are interested in this story enough to follow/favorite it...please leave a review. I love hearing what people think. I love getting into nerdy conversations with fellow fans.**

 **So please take half a minute and leave a review!**

 **See ya next week!**


	3. The First Step

**Welcome back everyone! You're all amazing, and please keep gracing me with all of your support.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Renegade**

 **Chapter 2: The First Step**

"What the hell do they need Kyber crystals for?" Mara asked Starkiller as she finished reading the briefing.

Her partner shrugged as he took back his datapad, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Mara nodded, "You'd think we'd have a little insight into this mysterious assignment. I guess it's above our paygrade."

Starkiller shrugged once more, his typical stoic behavior exactly what she'd expect from him.

Mara frowned. They had been on Jedha for the past two months. And she had to give Saw Gerrera credit, his knowledge of guerilla warfare was unprecedented. Every time she and Starkiller got close to uncovering his base of operations…the bastard switched locations. All the while continuing to attack Imperial convoys in small increments.

Nevertheless, she and Starkiller were doing infinitely better than their predecessor. Watching your men get cut down with a lightsaber instilled fear and loyalty in a way good speeches never could.

And now, to add icing to the cake…word was out that an Imperial defector had crash landed here on Jedha. Mara had been trained that there was no such thing as luck or coincidence…if an Imperial defector had crashed landed on a war torn planet that was the base of operations of a Rebel Extremist such as Saw Gerrera…you'd damn well better believe the two were connected.

"I'll take over the manhunt for the defector…you want to take over the Kyber project?" Starkiller asked.

Mara nodded, already starting to gear up. A few moments later they left the briefing room and left to different sides of the city. Starkiller to begin patrols and Mara to dig for buried treasure.

She could really feel herself moving up in the world.

oOoOoOo

Jyn did her best to keep a low profile as she and Cassian walked the crowded streets of Jedha.

The defector had really pissed the bucketheads off. And they were now performing door to door inspections…tossing the poor civilians out onto the street while their homes were pillaged and ransacked.

She snuck a glance behind her, triple checking to ensure they weren't being followed. When she snapped back around she smacked into Cassian's back…the rebel had stopped dead in his tracks.

"What the h-"

"Shush!" Cassian hissed as he surveyed the group of Imperials a good hundred feet in front of them.

"Problem you care to share with the rest of us?" Jyn whispered back as she looked over his shoulder, trying to find what tipped him off.

"We need to go…now!" Cassian said quietly, gripping Jyn's arm and turning them around. "There is an Inquisitor here."

"A what?" Jyn asked in confusion.

"Lord Vader's lap dogs." Cassian explained, his accent becoming thicker as tensions rose. "If one of them is here…than we're in deeper trouble than I thought."

Jyn stole one last glance back and saw _him_.

A man about her age. He was tall with shortly buzzed black hair. And he wore a black and grey uniform. She couldn't see his specific features from this distance, but he appeared to be her age…in his early twenties. And yet he appeared to be leading the group of seasoned veteran stormtroopers.

And at his belt, was a lightsaber.

"During the fall of the Republic," Cassian explained once it was safe to talk, "The Jedi were annihilated. The former Clone Troopers turned on the Jedi and slaughtered them…some Jedi fell through the cracks and went into hiding."

Jyn thought of Kanan Jarrus, the blind Jedi who was a high ranking member within the Rebel Alliance.

Cassian paused, letting a small group of Imperials pass without a second glance, then continued, "Those who survived are hunted…to ensure nothing will ever threaten the Imperial regime again."

"Hunted by the Inquisitors?" Jyn double checked.

Cassian nodded, "In this day and age…it is a curse to be born Force-Sensitive."

Jyn froze, flashing back to her last days on Aria Prime; Memories of when her mother died, when her father was forcibly taken by the Empire…when her force attuned baby sister disappeared.

oOoOoOo

Mara supervised as she watched the stormtroopers drill into the large crystal formations protruding from the ground and ceiling.

Huge chunks of clear crystals were packed into crates and carried back to base. Mara glanced around the cave and took in the sight of it.

The Kyber crystals came in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

The jedi had long used colors of deep green and vivid blue. But there were lesser known colors…violet and yellow. During her studies, she had learned that in the days of the Old Republic, several millennia ago, the color of a jedi's lightsaber said something of their station.

A Jedi Knight who relied heavily on combat would wield a blue lightsaber.

A Jedi Consular who solved problems diplomatically and relied on the force would wield green.

The Jedi Sentinel who sought to serve and protect the Order wielded yellow.

And then there were the purple lightsabers. A symbol of a person who found their way back from the dark. A Sith who had abandoned the order. Or a Grey Jedi who walked the path between Light and Dark. They were the wielders of the Purple lightsabers.

Mara shook her head to clear her useless thoughts. What Jedi did 4000 years ago was of no concern to her. Getting back to the task at hand, she saw that the clear crystals had been depleted, and they were ready to head back to base.

As the remaining stromtroopers carried out the last crates…Mara brought up the rear. However, as she was exiting the cave…she felt something pulling at her.

It was as if there were a string tied to her waist…instructing her to proceed deeper into the cave. She slowly pivoted on her heel…her men obviously thought nothing of it…for they kept on walking out of the cave and back into the crowded streets of Jedha.

When the final men had left the cave…she was alone.

It was oddly peaceful, the cave tranquil and quiet…the smaller crystals reflecting their natural light off of each other, illuminating the cave.

The Empire had no need for the blue and green crystals…only the clear ones.

She vaguely thought of the destroyed Jedi temple here on Jedha. How many Jedi over the millennia had taken their trials here…adventuring within the cave to build their own lightsabers.

Sith and dark side users, such as herself, they created their own crystals. They took the clear ones…such as the ones the Empire was scavenging, and they proceeded to charge them with dark side energy and Sith alchemy. The power eventually turned the crystals crimson red…a conduit of hate, rage, and fear.

The result was a highly powerful blade…which was also considerately unstable if the user wasn't strong enough to handle it.

Focusing back on the present, Mara followed that subconscious pull in her core. She walked down the narrow pathway of the cave, treading deeper and deeper.

She was confident she could find her way back. She didn't know how long she walked until she reached a dead end.

Mara stood before a hand carved stone slab that was blocking the rest of the pathway. She dusted off the runes at the top of the stone, the language foreign to her. Ancient words long forgotten.

Seeing no way past the barrier, Mara put her hands on her hips and was hit with a wave of disappointment. She didn't know what she expected to find, this was a fools endeavor. She was just wasting time.

Mara turned back around, but the moment she began to walk back to the caves entrance…she heard the heavy creak of the stone door opening for her.

She slowly pivoted around, as if trying to convince herself that this whole thing was pointless. This was an easy way to get lost or killed. Who knew what kind of fowl beasts lurked in the dark behind closed doors?

As soon as Mara crossed the threshold…the stone door behind her closed itself, trapping her.

"Oh for Force sake…" Mara cursed in exasperation, blowing a stray lock of flame red hair out of her eyes. As she started scanning for a knob or lever to pull, a shrill voice screamed from behind her.

"YOU CANNOT HAVE HER!"

Mara spun around, and was suddenly plunged into darkness. All the dim lights from the various crystals…gone. She impulsively reached for her dominant hand saber, her heart beginning to race. The crimson blade should have illuminated the space in front of her, and yet, when she hit the trigger…nothing happened. Just the click of a metallic button.

Panic began to set in, being trapped in this cold dark cave brought back vivid memories of the inquisitors 'Reconditioning Therapy'.

As a child, if she made a mistake, did not learn a lesson quick enough, or showed any form of weakness…she was shackled and tossed into a dark cell for days on end, forced to channel the force for survival. Reconditioning was meant to weed out the weak from the strong. And although she had survived the horrific ordeal…it left her with severe claustrophobia in addition to a fear of the dark.

Mara began slamming her fists and hip into the stone wall, hoping it would budge. But Mara knew it was useless…these caves were meant to test a Jedi's will and resolve.

The only way out was to overcome her fears and pass the test.

…Brilliant.

* * *

 **Lots of cameo references in this one. And the Erso sisters are on the same planet within a few miles of each other (what could possibly happen?). Obviously, this will be coinciding with Rogue One. There will be a few plot changes from the movie, but overall I won't change the outcome of the movie...maybe?**

 **I'll also be throwing in some POV changes, but it'll still mainly be Mara Jade. But more Jyn coming too.**

 **Also, in my Star Wars nostalgia...I have been listening to a bunch of the music from the movies. And the more I listened to 'Across the Stars' (Padme and Anakin's love theme)...I kept thinking of how it fit perfectly with Jyn and Cassian. Especially that last scene on the beach :'(**

 **Once again, if you are able...please take the time to review. I love hearing everyone thought's about the story. And I hope to leave everyone satisfied and craving more.**

 **Until next time!**


	4. Link to the Past

**Apologies for the delay...Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Renegade**

 **Chapter 3: Link to the Past**

Mara took deep breaths, attempting to calm herself down. She would not let her fear dominate her. She was in control, nothing else. With each deep breath she took, the weight on her shoulders eased off bit by bit until after several long moments…she was relaxed. She had reached a level of tranquility she didn't know she could achieve.

When she was confident the fear had passed, she opened her eyes once more. The room was still completely dark…except for a ray of white light in the distance. It was as if there was a door, and on the other side of that door was a source of light.

Rising to her feet, she followed the light, treading carefully lest she trip over one of the many rock formations.

When Mara finally reached the source of light, she stuck her hands out and felt the flat stone surface of the door. She felt around for a knob or lever…but there were none to be found.

Taking a deep breath and calling upon the force, she stuck her hand out and slowly waved it across the door. There was a loud creak, and slowly the gate opened before her.

The minute Mara stepped over the threshold, she gasped loudly. She was no longer standing in the Jedi Temple…but in the Imperial Academy on Coruscant. She recognized these hallways anywhere, years of her life were spent here. Years spent training and honing her skills in the Force.

Without realizing it, she began to wander. Why was she here?

After she had passed a squadron of stormtroopers who didn't spare a second glance at her, she realized she was invisible. Her surroundings no more than echos of the past, that could neither see nor hear her. She walked around for what felt like hours before she heard voices coming from inside one of the many training rooms. As she stepped forward, the motion activated door panel opened before her.

Stepping inside she saw a group of teenagers sparring against each other using vibroblades. Each dueler had perfect form as they attacked each other with the ruthlessness of an Imperial stormtrooper.

At the front of the group was an elderly man. Her old training master. The man was some form of humanoid alien…at least he used to be. No one could quite determine his species. He had suffered heavy scarring at some point in his life that had dramatically distorted his facial features.

But if someone made the mistake of underestimating Master Snoke…it was the last mistake they would ever make.

Snoke was in charge of training the force-sensitive children taken in by the Empire. He was highly efficient at rooting out the weak from the strong. Those deemed worthy would be transferred into the Inquisitorious program under the Grand Inquisitor once they came of age.

"Mind your footwork," Snoke spoke to one of the dueling students.

Mara turned to see who he was addressing. Her eyes opened in disbelief…it was her.

She must have been no older than 12 when this had happened. She was dueling a Zabrak girl and successfully keeping her on the defensive. The Zabrak struggled to parry with Mara's relentless strikes from both her vibroblades. Even as a child, she was more comfortable with two weapons than with one.

The duel ended as quickly as it began. Her younger self brutally ending the fight with a strike to the Zabrak girls face. The other girl cried out and clutched her face gently, attempting to ease the pain. Mara hadn't struck her fatally, the wound wouldn't even scar…but it was already starting to bruise. No doubt her nose was broken.

"Good!" Snoke clapped as he walked over to Mara and the Zabrak. "Your rage is your strongest weapon, 09. Channel it and you shall never falter."

Adult Mara flinched at the designation number, that's all she ever was to the Empire. A number. A weapon to deploy when and where they saw fit.

Any sense of individuality had been stripped long before she could remember. She was nothing but a cog in the machine…and the Empire did their best to ensure she knew it.

She didn't even know her real name until a few months ago…Starkiller was the only one she had confided in. He was the only one who called her Mara…and that was only in secret.

Mara continued to watch silently as her younger self continued with the drills, Master Snoke taking keen interest in her progress as she dominated the other students.

The flashback ended as quickly as it began, her surroundings morphing before her eyes. She watched in awe as the metallic room of the training center morphed into a beautiful landscape. The smooth voice of Master Snoke disappearing in the distance, and being replaced by birds chirping in the sky above her. The smell of machinery being replaced by the sea of the ocean. She didn't recognize the planet. But something about this place seemed…familiar.

This place had once been home.

oOoOoOo

Starkiller opened up the channel in the war room, coming face to face with a blue hologram of Grand Moff Tarkin.

"Agent…" the elder man said calmly.

"Grand Moff Tarkin," Starkiller answered back, "to what do I owe this pleasure."

"It has come to my attention that we have met our quota on the Kyber crystals."

Starkiller nodded, "The last shipment arrived just this past hour. They are loading them into the cargo hold as we speak."

"Good," Tarkin said cooly as he rubbed at his chin. "And the rebel cell?"

"I have isolated them into the canyon on the south side of the city. I'm readying a transport to lead the attack. They'll all be disposed of by nightfall."

"Belay that order," Tarkin waved him off. "I want all Empire personnel evacuated from the planet. Report to the bridge in 0200 hours."

"With all due respect, sir…" Starkiller asked in confusion. "What about the rebels? Our assignment was to purge them from the planet. And that's an order I don't plan on failing."

Starkiller chose his words carefully. Being an assassin handpicked by the Emperor himself, Starkiller was granted certain leniencies. However, disobeying a direct order from Grand Moff Tarkin was unlikely to award him any favors.

Tarkin smiled, the sight menacing. "Leave that to me."

Starkiller nodded as Tarkin ended the connection, leaving him once again alone in the empty war room. Why were they evacuating Jedha?

There were well over 5,000 military units in the city alone. Chaos would quickly descend the minute the evacuation was over. The Empire and the citizens of Jedha did not have an amicable relationship. The minute the Empire pulled out, the planet would be thrust back into chaos.

As he pulled out his comlink to open a channel with Mara, He hoped that Tarkin knew what he was doing.

oOoOoOo

Mara saw a small cottage across the fields and began to walk towards it. When she got closer, she saw a small child laughing and playing in the field by the house. She held her hand up to her forehead and squinted, attempting to block the bright sun rays. The young child was a girl…with flame red hair.

So…this had once been her home. Mara had no memory of her past life. Her memories began and ended with the Empire. She seemed so free, so at peace. As she got to within a hundred feet of the house…the girl casually dropped the toy she was playing with, and turned to Mara and waved.

Mara froze in her tracks and cursed, "Can you see me?"

The younger girl bit her lip and nodded…before she turned around and darted towards the house, laughing giddily.

"Hey!" Mara shouted as she ran after her, "Wait…I want to talk to you!"

She followed her younger self up to the cottage, the girl disappearing behind the door as she laughed.

Adult Mara froze with her hand on the doorknob, she had an idea of what this vision was…and yet she was afraid to face it.

To see what her life once was…to see what it could have been.

It was too much.

But that fear quickly turned into resolve…she had a family.

Nothing the Empire did would ever change that. She might have been physically separated from them long ago, didn't even know if they were living or dead, but she had been claimed, she had been loved. She controlled her own destiny.

She turned the doorknob, pushed open the door, and froze.

oOoOoOo

Starkiller ground his teeth as he walked through the busy hallway of the star destroyer. Stormtroopers parted to make room for him. Smart thinking. He didn't trust himself right now…was liable to lash out at anything or anyone.

Where was she?

Once he found an empty storage closet, he snuck inside and closed the door. He tapped on his earpiece…trying for what felt like the hundredth time, to open a channel with Mara.

Something was wrong.

She hadn't checked in. Last he heard, she was wrapping things up in the Jedi Temple and headed back to base.

However, members of her unit claimed that they never saw her leave.

"Mara!" he hissed through the static, praying to the force that wherever she was, she would hear him. "Listen to me…you have to get off the surface. I think Tarkin's about to bomb Jedha!"

The star destroyer he was currently stationed on was slowly orbiting Jedha. Behind the ship, was a massive space station, the newly christened Death Star...that apparently lived up to it's name.

He wanted to get back down to the surface, but knew it was a foolish. Starkiller felt powerless and he hated it. Mara was his weakness. She was the one bright light in a world forever dark.

The Dark side manifested itself in many ways…hate, pride, anger, jealousy…apathy.

Before Mara had come into his life, Starkiller led an emotionless life. Any emotion he held was purged from his body throughout his isolated childhood.

Darth Vader had personally saw through his training. The Sith Lord taking a keen interest in his upbringing. Starkiller quickly learned that the only way to survive was to detach himself from his environment.

For 20 years that worked for him.

And then he was assigned Mara Jade…or the Ninth Sister as she was called back then.

She was young…barely 16. But she was no weakling. She was gifted in the force…but what she excelled at was lightsaber combat. She was a prodigy when it came to duel wielding. Her Jar'Kai form unparalleled compared to any other Hand or Inquisitor.

Mara had quickly earned her place, and fit the mold that she was assigned.

They made quite the team, the two of them. Two sides of the same coin. Where he remained cool under pressure, Mara was hotheaded. He was subtle…she was blunt. He was reserved…she was direct.

But underneath it all…they were the same. Two people, unattached from the worlds around them. Feeling as if they didn't quite fit the mold they were given. Two people constantly in an internal struggle with the moral dilemma of their role in the Empire.

He had been worried about her lately, these visions of hers seemed to be affecting her physically. He knew something was wrong after she executed the Imperial commander when they had first arrived on Jedha. She shook it off and made an excuse…but he knew something was wrong.

She was being pulled to the light side of the force.

And years of assassinations and other questionable acts were beginning to weigh down on her. She was feeling self-doubt, remorse, and guilt.

If this continued on much longer, the Empire would catch on…and the Empire would not hesitate to dispose of her. The Emperor had no room for what he perceived as weakness.

An assassin who empathized with the enemy was, for all intents and purposes, useless.

Shaking his head, he focused back in on the call he was making.

Static.

He clenched his fist and closed his eyes in defeat as the static remained the only sound he could focus on.

He had a bad feeling about this…

…a very bad feeling.

oOoOoOo

Mara stood in the threshold of the cottage, her hand still on the door, as she stared dumbfounded at the scene before her.

The young girl with the red hair was in the arms of a man she had never seen before…in her visions or otherwise.

The first thing she noticed about the man, was that he had a cybernetic right hand.

The second thing she noticed…was that he was really attractive. He had a sort of boyish charm to him. Shaggy blonde hair, sky blue eyes…

…and for goodness sake was she really fantasizing about a man she was meeting during a Force vision?

She wanted to slap herself upside the head. Ever since her dreams and visions started, she felt like she was losing it…this little adventure only confirmed that theory.

As she was mentally scolding herself, the child began to speak to the man.

"Guess what Daddy?"

Mara froze…this man was not her father. She had seen glimpses of her real father in her dreams. Knew him to be a middle aged man with long dark brown hair and a beard…the man standing before her was considerably younger…late twenties at most.

So this girl wasn't her? Mara shook her head in confusion, the child was a dead ringer of herself. Had the same hair color, eye color, facial features…

Mara trailed off as she connected the dots. This wasn't a vision of the past.

"What is it, Jaina?" The man asked his daughter.

It was a vision of the future.

"Momma's here!"

* * *

 **Plot twist! I'm pulling a little switcheroo...for those familiar with the books in the Legends continuity. Luke and Mara had a son named Ben, and Han and Leia had three children; Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin. I'm switching it up. In this universe it's the cousins Ben Solo, Jaina Skywalker, Jacen Skywalker, and Anakin Skywalker II.**

 **Plot twist 2! Snoke is revealed...he will play a much bigger part down the line (bahahaha)**

 **Tarkins getting ready to destroy Jedha City and Mara is still down in the heart of it...will she get out before that happens?**

 **I thought about giving Mara a flashback about her past and her family. She's had glimpses of them but nothing solid. And then I decided, for her character it would make more sense for her to focus on the future instead of the past. (Besides, at this point in time Galen Erso and Jyn are still alive *wink *wink ;))**

 **A flashback will still be posted eventually about when Mara was taken by the Empire but it will be from Jyn's POV. Some minor details are gonna be changed from Rogue One...but nothing huge.**

 **As always read/review/PM/Follow/Favorite! and til next time...**


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